As different as night a day
by redwindstorm
Summary: In a world full of magic a set of twins hold a strange power. Could this be the beginning of something grand for them or is it the beginning of a road of destruction as it has been pointed out I seem to have forgotten to mention that this story is an Au for many different book and playwrights. I just smashed them all together because why not. Too many to list.
1. Lost and found

The light was dimly burning through the window of a small hut, somewhere deep in the woods. A humble plot of farm land stretched out around the hut. A single horse stood tied and waiting outside. The sound of a baby crying could be heard from inside.

"I don't understand one cries only at night and the other only cries during the day I don't understand Doctor why is that?" The soft hushed voice of a woman said as she said as she attempted to nurse the young boy crying in her arms.

"I don't either your daughter she seems just fine even if she does not cry she doesn't sleep at night either. Madam I'm afraid that your children might be cursed if I were you I would rid yourself of this no one will judge you if you do." The Doctor whispered as he packed his things. "There are plenty of things in the woods that would steal a child or two, just a thought." He finished as he walked out of the hut mounted his horse and rode off into the night. The mother of the two children looked down at her now finally sleeping son.

"I must do something, I'm sorry my dears but I can not live like this. I hope whatever lives in the woods takes good care of you. I hope you can forgive me." The mother said as she got both of the twins tucked neatly into a large basket. Her daughter looked right into their mother's eyes. Intense dark brown almost black eyes met her mother's soft light brown eyes, causing the woman to suck in her breath, and turn her gaze away.

"I'm sorry but you two have some kind of curse on you, your not normal." She whisper as tears fell from her eyes. She glanced at the twins only once as she finished getting them ready. After about 20 mins she carried the basket covered with thick blankets out into the woods behind the house. She frequently looked around to make sure that there was no one coming her dear husband was away on business and not due back for at least another five days.

'What would he think of me? Will he think any less of me when he returns to find the children are gone? Wait I have it I will wrap two stones to look like them and upon his return I will act just as surprised as he. That's what I'll do.' She thought as she headed deeper into the forest. When she came upon a small ring of mushrooms, a thought crossed her mind of how children left in such a place were taken care of. With great care she placed the basket within the ring. When she got up to leave once again she locked eyes with her daughter who only stared back with the same intense stare. "Forgive me." Was the last thing that she said before heading back to put her plan into action.

The night grew colder, both baby's shivered with the cold even through the thickness of the blanket. The faint sound of bells played through the woods followed by a pan flute. The sound of fluttering wing drew the gaze of the still awake baby girl.

"Mistress! Mistress over here two wee ones if left here much longer they will not make it." A soft voice cried.

"Oh dear me your right. Wow such beautiful eyes you have little one." as emerald eyes met deep brown ones. The woman reached out to pick her up only to find a sheild of pure darkness stop her. "Such a gift, and such strength I would bet that your brother next to you would hold a gift just a powerful but opposite yours. Yes I know just where to take you two, where you will be safe." The woman said with a wide smile "But first I shall give you both names. You my sweet mage of darkness shall be called Leylah, and if I'm correct your brother my sweet mage of light shall be called Zain." She finished as she made a gesture and in her hand appeared two pendants one held within a black diamond set in gold and around it the name Leylah was engraved. The other held a yellow sapphire set in silver with the name Zain engraved around it. The lady with the green eyes placed the pendents around both children before picking up the basket carrying them off, deeper into the woods.

"Please fly ahead and let her know that I will be arriving soon." She said to one of the pixies. With a quick nod the pixie flew off.

It took no more than two hours for her to reach her destination. When she arrived at the end of a short path the led to a log cabin. A young woman of average height was there to meet them. Her head tilted in confusion as the pixie sat on her shoulder.

"My lady, what may I ask is the occasion for your visit? I am afraid I have no cakes waiting for you and my husband in town and will not return until tomorrow. The young lady said as she gave a curtsy.

"My child now is not the time for cakes and tea. I have not the time, I would ask a favor of you. These two young ones have a great destiny ahead of them, but it seems that their mother was not prepared for it. Would you and your husband be willing…" The lady started before a playful gust of wind swirled around them. A small smile appeared on the mysterious woman's face.

"My lady we would be honored to take them in and don't you worry we will teach them how to control their powers and look for proper teachers of course." The young lady said her sky-blue eyes bright and full as the wind continued to dance around her and then around the two now sleeping babies. With that the mysterious woman who had found them was gone without a trace. With one final bow to forest she picked up both children and brought them both inside.


	2. It is that time

The following morning the sound of a baby's cry cut through the silence of the two story cabin. It wasn't much but it was home.

"Oh I know, I know, you two are hungry. Your names suit you, one of you awake and full of light during the day and the other at night, My Lady is wise." The woman said as she made two bottles full of goats milk for infants. After she fed and changed them she put them down for a nap. The sound of the door opening caught her attention as she went about getting everything ready for a meal.

"Keru I'm home my lovely" a male voice called from the door.

"Well come back my love" Keru said as she walked in the main room "My Lady dropped by last night. She asked a favor of us that I could not refuse." She continued. As she led him to the small room where the babies slept.

"This is wonderful, we always wanted kids and now we have them". He said with a smile.

Fifteen years later.

"Zain stop it, that bright mom told you to not to use your powers inside" a young lady with long raven hair and deep chocolate colored eyes growled, as she shielded them.

"I'm just trying to get you to lighten up, get it because my powers are that of light" the boy named Zain laughed, his honey colored eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief his short light chestnut hair held a slight glow to it.

"Leylah, Zain come to the table. It is time to eat, and Zain I saw what you did, be nice to your sister, she is the only one you get." A woman with red hair said as she set the food down on a small wooden table. The dining room was not very large but it was cozy off to the side there was a good size kitchen with a small wood burning stove. There was a small shelf with jars of every size, some filled with herbs and some empty. As they began to eat their midday meal, Keru couldn't help but zone out lost in her own thoughts.

"Mom are you ok? You look a little spacey." Leylah said midway through the meal. Startling Keru out of her thoughts.

"Yes my darlings I'm afraid that I have taught you all that I can but without the ability to control your elements I have done all I can. It's time for you to leave and look for teacher's of your own…" Keru said, her voice breaking. She had known that this day was going to come but for the last fifteen years she raised and taught them she loved them. 'My lady did you know that it would be this hard to let them go?' She thought. After the meal the three of them cleaned up and Keru sent the kids upstairs to begin packing. Keru walked outside to a humble and plain gravestone and that was placed at the edge of a small garden that sat just a ways off from the house.

"My love, our kids will have to leave soon to look for teachers, it will just be me and you. I am scared for them they don't know much of the outside world other than the town of course. They are strong but I'm not sure if they will ever find a teacher for themselves." She said as she absently pulled weeds and grass from along the base of the stone. She looked up at the upstairs window watching the two children she had raised for the past fifteen years, a silent tear rolled down her cheek followed by a silent prayer 'Watch over my precious children, please let them find teachers who can help them.' She prayed, with that she got up, patted herself down and placed a kiss on the cold stone. With one final look she walked back up to the house to help the twins prepare for their journey.

Meanwhile in the house

"Leylah do you think mom will be ok here by herself I mean after dad was killed by bandits I thought mom was going to will herself to death. You don't…" Zain started as he watched their mom walk to the stone that marked their father's grave through the window.

"Don't even think mom would do that. She will live so she can see us as full fledged mages. She wouldn't dream of doing anything like that. Once we have finished our training we will come back. With power as rare as ours we could become High mages in the capital city just like she used to be until she met dad and they moved out here. We will make our mother proud" Leylah said her eyes beaming with a mix of confidence and pride. With that said they continued to work on packing what they thought they would need to take with them.

Meanwhile in a cell far away.

A young man sat in a cell with only a small bed and a small bookshelf filled with many spellbooks of various sizes. The sound of a small squeak drew the man's attention.

"I have an idea, I think I may have found a way to find someone who can help us get out and bring this place down. Maybe we can expose what is really powering the city and keep it from happening again. What do you think my little friend and maybe if we can get out of here I can give you more than just crackers and cream, maybe I can give you some sweet fruit." The young man said as he picked up the small odd colored with even odder colored eyes.

"You see this spell here? It took me a moment to puzzle it out, but it is a kind of telepathic spell. It will let you communicate short messages to another. The main catch is that you can only "Call" to those who share your element. If it works then I'm not alone, if it doesn't well then nothing changes." The young man said sadly as he sat the odd mouse down on the bed and seated himself comfortably.

Closing his eyes the young man cleared his mind as he slowly gathered power and began to carefully craft his message in his mind. He knew he would only get one shot. He quietly whispered the spell to himself as he "sent" his message.

'_If you can hear this call then we share the same element. I need your help to save our own kind.' _

"Let's hope someone hears my message, I'm not sure how much longer I can last." He said to the mouse, his voice was heavy with exhaustion. The spell had taken more power then he thought that it would to get pasted the wards that kept his powers dampen.

The mouse looked at him with its odd colored eyes with a knowing look as the young man pulled himself up into the bed and was quickly asleep. The mouse then curled up next to his head and stood watch over the boy.


	3. The journey begins

'_If you can hear this call then we share the same element. I need your help to save our own kind.'_

"Did you hear that?" Leylah asked, looking around her and her brother's room.

"Hear what sis? I didn't hear anything. Are you feeling ok?" Zain asked, putting his hand on her shoulder with a look of confusion.

"I heard a voice just now in my head, it sounded like a young man's voice. I think he is in pain." She said, turning to look at her brother. "I'm going to go talk to mom, maybe she can help me." She told her brother before she headed out of the room. 'Is it possible that this young man can help me with my powers? Where is he though and how can I help him? Should I try and see if I can return the message?' She thought as she walked down the stairs to talk to her mom, her mind filling with more questions.

"Mom, can I talk to you?" Leylah asked her mom as she walked into the small family room.

"Of course my lovely what is it?" Her mother asked as she looked up from her current task and gestured for Leylah to follow her back to the kitchen. "What's the matter my lovely? You look out of sorts." Keru said as she went about making the two of them a cup of tea. Leylah sat quietly and waited until her mom finished the preparations for tea.

"When I was upstairs getting things ready for when we head out later this week, I heard the voice of a young man call in my mind. He sounded like he was in pain and he told me that we are the same." Leylah said. After she finished, an uncomfortable silence fell over the room the only sound being the movements of Zain upstairs.

"Well all I can say is that yours and your brother's powers are very different. As for why this person is in pain he could be thinking that he is the last darkness mage. That pain could be straight up loneliness. How he got a hold of a very old spell could mean he might be from a mage line, so he could teach you and if there is a darkness mage most likely there will be a light one nearby. At least that's my theory anyway."

Keru said after a few moments as she rose from the table. "I love you both very much, never forget that. What I am going to say now will sound as though I don't, but you two can't wait till the end of the week, you will have to leave in the morning. I'm sorry my lovely I fear that if a potential teacher were to slip through your fingers because I kept you both too long I would never forgive myself. Now go get your brother we have a lot to discuss." She said her voice once again as she fought back tears. She feared that if she were to cry that they would hesitate even more to leave and the longer they went without a proper teacher the more of a danger they would become to themselves and others. 'I just hope It's not too late, I should have started looking years ago, but…' she thought before the sounds of two sets of footsteps caught her attention. 'I will just have to hope and pray that my past does not catch up to them.' She thought as she went about explaining the situation.

In a cell somewhere

A young man paced the length of the "room" he knew that at any moment his "guardians" would be there to escort him to the ritual room where they would once again drain his powers to be stored in a strange device that they then use for god knows what. He overheard that they had destroyed the forest just outside the magical barrier almost ten years ago but he didn't know how they had done it. He felt something warm crawl up his back and settle on his shoulder reaching up he felt the warmth of his little friend sitting on his shoulder.

"It's almost time, you need to hide if they find you they will try to kill you again." The young man said placing the small mouse in the makeshift "house" that he had made for it, out of discarded parchment and old quill pens that had broken. No sooner had he hid his little friend that the door was opened.

"Oh good, you're already awake excellent. As you know it's the new moon which means you know what time it is." A man in a dark colored robe and a mask that covered his face. "Come now, don't look at me like that. With your help we have been able to advance far beyond our wildest dreams. Your part of history my boy. Besides you only have to donate your powers once a lunar month that's not too bad now is it." The man continued as he gestured for the young man to follow him.

The young man took a deep breath to steady himself before he stepped out into the corridor. Once he was out in the light it was clear that once he had golden hair that was now a weak yellowish gray, and once brilliant sapphire eyes had paled and held nothing but rage and exhaustion. He knew it was pointless to fight the last time he tried during the ritual they had drained almost to death as punishment.

The walk to the room was quiet; he had no desire to talk with the man walking with him. Fifteen long minutes later they stopped in front of a small ornate door that bore the phase of the moon carved in the wood. The door was opened to reveal a room is decorated in dark blues and purples the perfect representation of darkness magic. In the middle of the room was a large metal ring that was made out of an unknown iridescent element that even with magic it could not be identified. The only thing that the young man knew was that it drained and stored magic. To an outsider the room meant little to nothing but for the young man this was a place of fear and pain.

"Caspian, my dear boy, I'm glad you are here and willing to help us obtain great power. Your help is much appreciated." A man dressed in navy robes with silver borders said a smirk crossed his face as he crossed the room. The silver border marked him as the High priest, he approached the young man with his arms spread wide as he pulled Caspian into a tight embrace, one that he didn't return. He never returned any of the embraces he had been given. These people had been stealing his magic since he was 10 years old.

What they were not aware of was that every time they drained his magic during the three nights of the new moon. He never had much of a chance to recover. But by draining his magic each new moon not only did his magic returned after resting during the day, but it came back stronger. He was only just now strong enough to get a message out beyond the barrier, granted it could only be sent to another darkness mage but it was a start.

'Maybe with enough time and practice I can find someone to help me find my sister if she is even still alive.' He thought as he walked into the circle, and stood waiting for the pain that always came. He heard the flip of a switch from somewhere in the room. In an instant the mage lights that served to light the room vanished leaving only a strange ghostly glow aura around Caspian's body pulsing in a steady rhythm. Soft chanting in a strange language could be bearded from somewhere in the room. Caspian had heard the words before each and every time he stepped foot in that room.

Even though he did not know what they meant he had them engraved into his mind, to him the only thing those words ment was pain. The moment the chanting stopped the circle lit up with a blinding light that began to drain the magic from his body. Even though he had expected the pain he was never prepared for it no matter what he tried, the searing pain that felt as though everyone of his nerves were being burned away tore through his body he felt the power and his strength drain from his body in waves. His vision turned black as he fell to his knees.

The whole thing only took a short two minutes for his magic to drain to nearly gone but for him it felt like an eternity. Curled up softly crying as the light faded just as quickly as it had appeared he knew that it was over. He curled tighter into a ball every muscle in his body spasmed sending waves of what felt like fire through the body.

"Put him back in his room, we are done with him for tonight." The High priest said as he dismissed everyone who was in the room. As usual he didn't remember how he had gotten to his room, and each time since he could remember the odd colored mouse was waiting for him.

"One day, little friend one day we will be free." He muttered as he fell into a deep sleep, tears still falling down his cheeks.


	4. The guided city

The city was the most beautiful thing to ever be created with magic, the dome shaped shield kept everyone within the city safe from all threats both natural and not. The citizens lived here in comfort with the population consisting of mostly mages and their families. The constant shimmering golden light by day and a dark bluish at city had been built almost two hundred years ago but the magic dome had only been added within the last 20 years. Since the dome had been put in place the city was now able to withstand anything.

Instead of more common stone and wooden buildings that lay in the countryside, the buildings with the city were made of a special type of metal that reflected the current weather along with windows made of real glass. The lights that illuminated the streets better than any touch or mage light alone would be. The light was held within a small glass ball and turned on and off with the rising and setting of the sun, unlike mage lights that had to be turned off by a mage.

The most impressive part of the city was the tower in the middle. It stood hundreds of feet above the dwellings of the city below. On the roof of the tower stood what looked like a lighting rod where a soft glow from it. The source of the protective shield was rumored to live inside selflessly using their magic to protect the citizens.

Standing in front of a large window holding a glass of red wine a man stood dressed in a dark blue robe with gold trim. "Look at what we have done in just over twenty years." He said as he took a good swallow from his glass before turning to face the inside of the room. The room itself was rather plain looking. The only thing that stood out was a solid black obsidian carved in a circle. Magical runes were carved along the outside edge of the table in a spiral pattern until they reached the center. Carved within the center was a eight pointed star and at the point of each was the rune for each element. Save for two points that remained blank. The "lost" magic said to be practiced only once countless years ago.

Around the table stood thirteen chairs each made out of a wood that best channeled the elements of fire,water,earth and air. Each of the chairs save for one had someone seated in them. Everyone of them was dressed in a robe that bore the rune for the element that the mage had mastery over.

"Yes, who knew that using the rarest of the elements was what we were missing all along. Everything that we have achieved in the last few years is due to him, But I feel like we could do more if we could only get our hands on his opposing element, or even better a set that are the same age." One of the men said his blue green robe marked with a water rune embroidered just over his heart in silver. "Or even more then one pair."

"Unfortunately no one has reported anyone else with that kind of magic in close to ten years. What will happen if we never find anymore?" A woman dressed in a deep ruby red her robe bearing the rune for fire done in gold asked looking around the room.

"She raised a good question. We also don't know how this power is passed. Though I think with a little research we could find out how, who knows, we may be able to create a spell that can guarantee the power can be passed down the line. If you all get my drift." The water mage said in a thoughtful tone.

The group continued to talk about different ways to get darkness magic and possibly a light mage.

"I have an idea if we can just get it to work, what about the Fea? They are just full of magic and the Little Folk are easy enough to trap. The only problem with doing that it will take so many to achieve the same amount of magic we can get from a mage though." A man dressed in leafy green with the rune for earth done in brown.

"For now let's try to find more while we look at how that power is passed. I will send my most trusted to find more. I will also see if maybe they can find one of the Sidhe. They are said to be even stronger than any mage, and I know just who to send." The mage with the gold trim said.

In a small cottage deep in the woods.

The sound of fluttering wings filled the cottage, soft multicolored lights lit the rooms as what looked like simple chores were being done. Soft voice could also be heard as the owners of the wings quietly talked to each other.

"Sir, breakfast is ready," a small quiet voice said as a small humanoid figure with translucent dragonfly wings said as she landed on a young man with midnight black hair. He had tied around his eyes a strip of undyed cloth, he held his face in the light of the rising sun feeling the sun's rays on his face.

"Thank you for letting me know I will be in momentarily. We should also start preparing for a special guest sooner rather than later." The young man said as he followed the pixie through the door into the cottage he smiled and turned to face his right just shy of walking through the door. "Well looks like we should start looking for those books, Time will have to learn fast. Chaos already has a head start." Was all he said before walking in and closing the door.

"Cryptic as always my dear but you have never led anyone a stray I will start my search now." A woman from the shadows said before she turned in a hawk and took flight.


	5. Chapter 5

The sunlight glittered off the surface of the small lake, the wind moved through the cattails creating a rustling sound. Young woman stood beside the water her bare feet just barely touching the cold water. Her soft mid shoulder length golden hair shone like the sun as light hit it reflecting back more light than should be possible. She stood still as a statue looking out on the water, her doe brown eyes scanned the mirror smooth water.

"Yes this will do nicely and this should bring plenty." She whispered to herself as she moved to pick up a large glass vile that she had placed at her feet. With a quick flick of her wrist the light vanished from the surface of the water. She knew that she could not hold that spell for long but even in the short time she had she achieved her goal. The moment the light vanished from the water almost instantly twenty or so pixies poured over the water chattering among themselves. Once they had gathered at the water's edge she returned the light to the surface causing a blinding light that stunned the group of pixies.

"Sorry little ones but you don't sit still long enough to collect your dust any other way." The woman said as she carefully picked each one of the little fairies up and brushed their wings with her finger tips being careful not to take too much dust of the wings, or to damage the wing in anyway. The dust on the wings that she did take off would be replaced in about an hour or so. After she had collected dust from each of the pixies she moved all of them up to a large enough branch as high as she could reach.

After that task was done, she collected her belongings from where she had hid them in the brush before she headed back to the main road. 'Don't worry dear brother I will make them pay for what they have done to us, it's just taking longer than I thought but I have not lost faith. This world will pay for taking you from me.' She thought a small crazed smile on her lips. It took no more than a half hour for her to reach the next town. After asking directions to the inn she went to get a room.

"Names miss." The inn keep said when she asked for a room.

"Rixxa." She answered.

"Interesting name, that will be one silver coin for the week meals include." The inn keep said as she pulled the silver coin out of her purse and exchanged it for the key to her room. With a polite wave Rixxa left to find her room. After leaving her things in her room she went and sat in the dining room.

"What can I get for you ma'am?" A maids asked.

"Water to drink and whatever the cook's special is for today thank you." Rixxa replied as she looked around the room. This town didn't look like they would have a regular library let alone one that would contain the books she was looking for.

'Time will open the door to Chaos' those words echoed in her heard once more as they had for the past eight years.

Rixxa and her brother were orphaned when something had killed their parents when they were really young. The two of them were inseparable, the only time that they were apart was at night. Life was ok for a while until one night her brother woke from a nightmare on the new moon. Suddenly everything went pitch black a dark aura surrounded him and his bed.

When the master of the orphanage came to see what was going on, the first thing he did was try and rebuild the fire using fresh wood and his mage fire but the moment he lit his flame the light from it vanished leaving only the heat behind. After that night her brother was sent to go live in the capital where he could receive training for his gift. Rixxa had begged a pleaded to go with him but since she had no magic she was forbidden to go with him.

She waited for her brother to return for almost two years powerless to do anything until one day one of the new kids had decided to make her his target. Rixxa after her brother was taken from her she walked around most days in a daze, her only "friends" were the pixies that played in the garden. On that fateful day she walked out with a small bottle of cream and some cookies that she swiped from the kitchen. She heard a boy laughing near the garden she paid no mind to it the pixie were not a secret. It wasn't until she say what had the boy laughing that she lost it. The boy was an earth mage who parents were sent away for some reason or another she didn't care. He had trapped the pixies in an earthen cage and was holding them in the ever shrinking cage causing them to damage their wings in an attempt to escape.

To this day she isn't entirely sure what happened the next thing she knew her and the boy were surrounded in a blinding white light causing him to drop the cage freeing the captives in side and the boy to cover his eyes screaming in pain. As quickly as the light had appeared, it vanished leaving only the two of them bathed in natural sunlight. Before she knew it her feet were running away from the only home she had known. For the rest of that day she ran she wasn't sure where she was going all she knew was that she couldn't go back.

It was against the rules to attack another person with the intention to harm them. Doing so would result in your powers being stripped from you, even though she could try to explain that it was an accident and that she was sorry. The truth was yes it was an accident but she wasn't in the least bit sorry that it happened. Some time around sunset she came across a small cottage that looked to be abandoned so she went inside.

"Ma'am are you ok the fire from your candle is getting rather bright? " the maid said as she sat down a plate of food and a glass of water.

"Huh? Oh yes I'm alright I just got lost in thought. Sorry if I scared you." Rixxa apologize.

"It's ok I'm a water mage a small flame like that is nothing, thank you for your concern." The maid said with a laugh before leaving her alone with her food.

'Perhaps I should put my search of until tomorrow.' She thought as she began to eat.

Meanwhile two towns over

"Gods my feet are killing me carrying me please"? Young woman with chocolate short cropped hair who looked no more than twenty whined as she put her head in the middle of a large man who was built like a wall his own brown locks were cut close to his head and stood over the young lady by a good two feet making the already petite woman look much smaller than she was.

"Caill little sister I love you I really do, but if your feet hurt then that means mine do as well so I'm not going to carry you we are almost there anyway." The man said as he continued to walk.

"But I can't carry you I would get crushed. Markus please? I will make sure the water for a bath stays that steaming hot you like so much, just don't ask me to reheat it that takes too long." She said using her hazel eyes to give her best puppy dog eyes. About thirty seconds later she felt herself get scooped up and thrown over her brother's shoulder.

"You drive a hard bargain sis." He said with a laugh as is own grass green eyes met hers. he carried her the rest of the way to the inn. Once they were settled in their room.

"I know we are the best as finding people but do you have any idea how to find a light or darkness mage I mean the one that is locked up in the town is kinda of a bad example. When I picture a darkness mage I picture mysterious, with an odd sense of beauty about them. Not well him." Markus said as he collected his things for a bath. Turns out his sister got lucky this town has a natural hot spring fed bath house.

"And when I picture a light mage I see someone who is warm inviting not like a fire warm but like the sunlight on a bright summer's day. Some with an outgoing personality like you but nicer." Markus said with a laugh as he dodged his sister's towel as she laughed as well. The two of them headed off to the bath house that was just behind the inn.


	6. Chapter 6

The sun rose over the horizon casting its reddish glow to land in her eyes. With a slight moan she rolled over turning her back to the window, her once golden hair turned strawberry was done up in a braid, despite the fact that she was a light mage did not mean that she always woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed. After the sun climbed higher making the dawn's reddish glow turned in to the more yellow she finally decided that it was time to get up and go find the library. Dressing quickly she made sure that she had the vile of pixie dust she collected the day before was tucked safely in a hidden pocket of her purse. After a quick bite from the kitchen she headed to the town library. Once inside she was instantly noticed.

"Good morning ma'am how may I help you today?" The old keeper asked pushing his spectacles up on his face.

"Yes I was wondering if you had any old spell books about legendary magic, or primordial magic?" Rixxa asked as he reached into her purse her hand on the dust. A shift in the keepers movement told her way more than his words.

"No my dear I'm afraid we have no such books here." The keeper replied as he shifted his feet clearly nervous.

'It appears I am not the first person to ask about these books. Well looks like I will have to do this the hard way.' She thought with a sigh. "Thank you for the information I'm sorry you don't have what I am looking for." She said with a polite wave she turned and left the building, instead of heading back to the inn she walked to the side window. After a quick check for alarm wards she quietly opened the window poured a small amount of the dust into her hand and muttered a few words over it before blowing it into the window. The instant it left her hand the dust sparked and hung twinkling in the air creating a rainbow of colors that you could not help but be attract the eye. Once she was sure that the keeper was good an bespelled she slipped back in and began her search for secret doors.

It only took about five minutes for her to find one on the far wall. Inside the door was a small room only big enough to place two books on the stands. Upon investigating the first she found only found it to be what looked like an accounting book, the second stand was empty except for dust that glittered with an unmistakable glitter.

"Pixie dust? What would pixie want with a book of magic?" She asked herself her doe colored eyes narrowed in thought, as felt the twinge of her magic telling her that her spell was going to fade soon and that she should leave or she would be caught. With that she closed the door and began her walk back to her room at the inn, lost in thought.

"Calli it's time to get up we have a job to do" Markus whispered in her ear causing the younger brunette to all but jump out of bed.

"I hate it when you do that and you know it." She replied as she lay on her back with her arm over her hazel eyes. She hated mornings but she hated people whispering in her ear when she is half asleep.

"Come on the sooner we leave the sooner we find our marks." Markus said as he finished the last of the packing smoothing down his sleep ruffled hair. Forty five minutes later they left the inn talking about where to look next.

"How do we even know if there anymore light and darkness mages? Do you know how rare that magic is? I say we look for two years if we don't find anyone we return home and tell them that no more have been born, because I don't know about you but I'm not spending a lifetime chasing something that shows up when it wants too." Calli said earning a nod from her brother. As the two of them fell into a comfortable silence, both of them were lost in there own thoughts.

Somewhere deep in the forest

"Sir, there is a package here for you from My lady with a note attached would you like me to read it to you?" A tiny voice said.

"Of course Nightingale my sweet."

_The first book has been found, _

A smile spread across his face "Looks like everything is beginning to fall into place lets just hope it's not too late." He said as he ran his hand over a locked trunk on a table near him. "Soon enough though just not too soon I hope" he whispered to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

The sound of fluttering wings was the first sound she heard followed by a knock on the door. Sleepy woman with flaming red hair threw a robe around herself as she walked to the door. 'Who is calling at this hour?' She thought as she pulled open the door. Standing bathed in moonlight stood a young woman surrounded by pixies her own crimson hair glowed in the moonlight her emerald green held a smile with in them.

"My lady please come in I will put on a kettle, I have a feeling this will be a long night. Forgive me but you never call on me in the middle of the night if it wasn't important." The first red haired woman said her blue eyes filled with dread as she fussed around the kitchen.

"Akeru, my dear you are correct this will be a long night. You know of whom I am partnered with, there is trouble and your kids will play a big part in the coming events, but they are not why I am here." The other woman said as she sat herself at the humble table. Keru flitched slightly at the use of her real name and knew right away that this was going to be an uneasy visit My lady never used her full name otherwise.

The room fell silent save for the preparations for tea. Once that task was complete Keru sat down at the table.

"Keru, as you know I have never forced you do anything you did not wish to do in the past but I must insist this time. It seems the past is starting to catch up with us and we can't out run it for much longer. I can not leave here with unanswered questions like I have done in the past." My lady said as she took a sip of her tea.

"Is this about what happened nearly twenty years ago. About why I have made my home here? The first ever task you set me on?" Keru asked as the woman who sat across from her nodded. With that Keru stood gracefully "Then I will tell you what I told you all those years ago. My skills are yours to use should you have a need for them. To what task can this humble mage do for one as great as you." She said with a deep bow to the other woman who's green eyes brighten with amusement both of them knew that they was no need for the young mage to renew a standing vow but Keru had always been her favorite second only to her bonded partner.

'Shame that he needed me more than she did and she is destined for a greater and stronger match then I. If only she knew' My lady thought unable to help but smile.

"The task I set you on this night is to bring the book to my partner's cottage deep in the weasten woods by the next full moon, once there you are to wait for further instructions. You must leave before sunrise this night." My Lady said.

"I understand My Lady, may I ask a question? Is he still a prick?" Keru asked as she went about packing what she would need for the trip earning a laugh out of her.

"You will find a lot has changed since last you saw each other. I must go now I still have one other task to complete tonight I will see you upon the next full moon.

Meanwhile the following morning

"Zain it's your turn to get the water so get your lazy tail out of bed." A young girl with midnight black hair said as she shook the boy named Zain's shoulder her dark eyes held a hint of anger in them.

"Huh what? Is it morning already?" Zain asked as he opened his honey colored eyes to meet his sister's dark ones.

"Yes and you were supposed to get the water for breakfast last night we have been away from home for almost six months, why do I have to keep reminding you about this every time we camp its every other site I got it last time it's your turn." She growled as she all but threw the empty bucket at him. Six month they had been following the soft call that grew more and more urgent, or so it seemed to her.

"Leylah are you ok?" Zain asked putting a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump a bit. He had become increasingly worried about his sister since they had been rushed out of the house she seem to grow more distant focused on the call only she could hear and he feared that maybe she was starting to go mad.

"I'm fine sorry I spaced out for a moment." She replied shaking her head. The two of them went about getting the camp broken down when the sound of voice caught their attention.

"Markus are you sure you saw magic this way that belongs to a person last time you said that we followed a very scared fawn who was going to be eaten by a wolf." The sound of a woman's voice came from the path that leads to the main road.

"This this time I am sure you know that my talent does what it wants." A male voice followed the first. Before either one of the twins could react the owners of the voices walked into the campsite. Both of them had chocolate colored hair the man's was a shade or two lighter. He stood almost seven foot tall next to him stood a woman who couldn't be but just about five foot herself.

"See what did I tell you, I'm being rude my name is Markus and this is my sister Caill." The man called Markus said his grass colored eyes sparkled with a smile

"I'm Leylah and this is my brother Zain may I ask what you meant when you said you could feel magic no mage can do that, not unless it their own element." Leylah said her already dark eyes appeared to get darker with every word.

"Rude as ever surely you can see that they are young go sit over there and behave." The woman named Caill said with a laugh as she gently pushed his aside. "What my brother means is that he is not a mage the same way you and me are. What he has is very unorthodox. He can't truly see magic just like an aura around a mage according to him it reflects the element that mage uses. The brighter the aura the stronger the mage." Caill said with a smile.

Before either one of the twins could respond Markus chimed in "You two are very strong and very rare lovelies. We could if you wish could take you to the capital i know for sure at least one of you can find a teacher and i would imagine even though the element isn't shared it could not be that difficult to adapt a lesson." He remarked with a smile as he watched both sets of eyes light up.

"You mean it? Like for real for real? Zain asked as his eyes grew brighter in color.

'I was right the girl holds darkness and the boy holds light. Let's hope the young lady can focus long enough to learn' He thought with a laugh as the newcomers help finish breaking camp.

"Ok you two it's about two months to the capital so think you can stand us for that long?" Caill said earning her a two pairs of eye rolls as a response.

'Who would have thought that after only six months of looking we would find a new pair of them. Though I'm not entirely sure why they would need them anyway, and so quickly. Something does not sit well with me and I don't know why. Can I really bring the two of them in like lambs to slaughter.' Markus thought before shaking his head to clear it for such thoughts would get him a traitor's death, no matter how useful his gift. No one really paid too much attention to him since he was taking the rear guard so he had allowed himself to split his attention between keeping an ear out for anyone coming up from behind and letting himself think.

Even when they stopped to make camp that night the thoughts of leading the teens to the capital seemed to make him more and more uneasy. The fact that sent out him and his sister to hunt down these two down even though they were not ever part of the capital. 'Our orders were to only bring back as many light and dark mages that we could and quickly. I didn't think about it at the time because I never thought that we would ever find another set. But now something about the tone tells me that they needed these two quickly, the aura around them was… not fear wrong color maybe nervous? Why? Uggg I hate not having all the information.' He growled softly to himself. He could not shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun rose over the horizon bathing the campsite in a pale yellow light. It wasn't the sunlight that woke her but the sound of tiny wings struggling to stay in flight. 'What's that I wonder.' She thought as she crawled to the entrance of the tent, what she found waiting for her was a very old leather bound book and sitting on top of it was a small male humanoid figure. 'A pixie? Here?' She thought

"Sorry to wake you, but my My lady told me to deliver this book to you that you will need it in two days time." The pixie said is a small voice.

"Um thank you?" Rixxa said as she pushed her golden hair behind her ears before putting it into a ponytail. At that the pixie flew off with small wave leaving her alone with the book. Her doe colored eyes lit up when she read through the book. This book was exactly what she had been spending the last eight years of her life looking for.

"This is a book of arcane magic, but who gave it to the Fea?" She whispered to herself as she continued to flip through the pages until she stopped on a page the read.

_Conversation spell _

_light and darkness becomes time and chaos when spoken at a time when day becomes night or the moon becomes red as blood. Cast the following _

_Where light and shadows once reigned, _

_Let chaos and time now take hold, _

_Beware once changed you can not return and only a pair who are blood can change for the spell will not work without the blood bond._

"This is just what I was looking for and if I'm reading this right then the spell will only work if my brother is still alive." She said to herself, as she dug through her bag looking for a chart of the stars. 'Two days, two days time,' she thought as she looked at the charts.

"The solar eclipse that is what the pixie was talking about, I can cast the spell then and finally get an answer about my brother, even if it means giving up my power over light I can work with time magic and he will just have to work with chaos." She said before she went about making breakfast and getting the things she would need to cast such a powerful spell and she only had two days to get the ritual preparations done, or she would miss her chance for who knows how long.

Two days later

Rixxa sat kneeled in a circle made of pixie dust that reflected the light of the sunlight making the ring sparkle. 'I will not have about five minutes to get this right there is simply not enough time to try again, the new moon is tonight so let's hope my powers are strong enough during the day.' She thought as she tried to ignore the stiffness of her legs she dare not risk breaking or leaving the circle in case she missed her chance to cast her spell. What seemed like ages passed before at high noon the sun began to grow dark at this point she took a small knife from beside her and cut the meat of her palm straight across allowing the blood to drip freely to the ground. Once the sun was completely dark she began her spell.

As she said the words her blood began to glow with an odd brownish purple. She watched and waited to see if things had changed, as the eclipse passed.

'I guess I have my answer he is no longer alive.' She though sadly as she stood to break her circle and head back to camp for a nap. Unfortunately it appeared that her body had other plans, before she made it all the way to her feet she just collapsed and slipped into darkness.

At the same time in the capital.

A young man his dull sapphire eyes and yellowish gray hair sat perched on his bed his nose in one of the many well worn books that he had read countless times. Today he was reading one of his favorites, his odd colored mouse friend was laying on the pillow next to him. Suddenly a wave of dizziness washed over him causing him to fall off the bed. The last thing he saw before blackness took him was the mouse jump from the bed and placed a paw on his nose.

The next this he knew he was being dragged to his feet.

"Come now boy you we thought you would have learned by now that even if you pretend to be asleep that it would not save you." A voice said but unlike the times before he sounded distant. He walked down to the room he was all too familiar with and placed in the circle.

"Caspian tonight is a treat thanks to the eclipse early your powers will be greater tonight since you got the extract even if it was brief boost today. Well let's get started." The high priest said. As he flipped the switch.

White hot pain slammed his body as it had always done. 'Stop please I want the pain to stop, please anyone make it stop.' He thought tears fell from his eyes as he waited. Suddenly without warning a flash of silver light lit the room as bright as day. Once the flash had faded. The pain stopped just as suddenly, slowly he uncurled himself and looked around,. The first thing he noticed was that the sound of the machine had stopped but no one came to pick him up and drag his drained body to his cell. Instead the room was still eerily still nothing moved. After a few heartbeats Caspin decided he was not going to wait around to see what happened instead he raced back to his cell and grabbed everything he could fit in his pillowcase. As he packed he noticed that his mouse friend who he fully intended to bring with him had not greeted him as he normally would have.

He looked in the house he had made and what he found there startled him. The mouse stood unmoving just inside the door as if frozen in time. 'Wait if time has stopped then how come I can move?' He thought as he carefully pick the mouse up and placed him in his pocket. With a quick nod he decided that he would figure it out far far away from there. And with that he fled into the night leaving the capital for the first time in almost fifteen years.

Later that night

"Finally I made it, why? Why old friend did you have to live in such a remote part of the woods. You owe me a nice cup of tea when I get in." A woman with flaming red hair and sapphire eyes huffed. As she went to knock on the door to the cottage, only to have the door swing open before she could. The person who stood before her was a man his midnight hair was cut close to his head but that was not where her eyes focused her blue eyes widen with shock as she noticed tied around his eyes only just managing to hide the scars was a strip of black cloth.

"Oh my Gods Ari what happened to you? I know My Lady said things had changed with you but this was not what I was expecting." The woman said before she could stop herself.

"Keru blunt as always I see." Ari said with a small laugh. The two of them studied together when they were younger. Well more like they harassed each other. "Please come inside we have much to discuss and yes I have tea waiting blackberry green tea." He fished as he motioned for her to come inside. Once inside she took around the room there wasn't much in the way of furniture no surprise there only a couple of chairs and a small fireplace in the main room. The kitchen wasn't anything special either just a clean counter and miscellaneous items. In what could only the dining room the small table was set with tea for two complete with a light snack.

Keru moved into the room and sat at the table pouring herself a cup of tea she and waited until Ari did the same before she asked.

"What happened to your eyes last I saw you they were fine?" She asked.

"They were taken from me about a week or two after you fled on your mission from the Gods gave you through me. I was arrested for treason could you believe that? I was giving a bull shit trial and through in jail. I Saw something that I guess the council didn't like so in an attempt to take my power from me well." He said as he removed the strip of cloth revealing scar tissue where his eyes once were it was clear that the were not just any scars his eyes had been burned out.

"That's just wrong. They will pay for this I will see to that." Keru growled as took a drink from her cup earring a small laugh.

"You were always the first one to spring to someone's aid, even if they were being an asshole to you. Now as far as where you will be sleeping you have two choices either camp outside or you can sleep with me in my bed it should be big enough, if you're still the bean poll you use to be." He said with a smile.

"I have a little more meat on my bones now thanks to living on a farm for seventeen years but I am still small enough to share a bed with you at least this time we won't be chained together by a couple other students saying either they will kill each other or bed each other, jokes on them neither option happened." Keru said the two of them continued to talk about what was going on in life and what the future might hold. Before either one of them knew it dawn was on the horizon.

"We should probably get some sleep if I'm right, we are going to have a long trip ahead of us soon and then who knows when will sleep in a proper bed." Ari said with a yawn. The two of them cleaned up the table and then headed in a room just off of the main room that held a good side bedroom with a smaller room that held an indoor wash room.

"You will have to wait until later today to get a bath my helpers won't be here until then. It will also take them a bit the fill the tub, I so rarely us the tub I normally just use a rag and a bowl only because well even thoughI don't leave the forest does not mean I can't keep certain areas clean a stink free, sorry." He said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"That's fine sleep sounds heavenly right now." She muttered as she removed her travel clothes and changed into fresh clothes before falling into the bed. She heard a soft chuckle before a dip on the other side of told her that he too had climbed into the bed.

"This is your only warning you kick me out of the bed I will make you sleep in a tent outside." He yawned before laying down next to her. The sound of soft breathing told him that she was already asleep. 'Somethings never change' he thought before he drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ow watch what the hell you are doing you almost ran me over, come one i know there is a small lake here we can camp for the night, Zain that hurt." The sound of a young lady's voice said.

"Sorry Calli I wasn't paying attention.." A male voice said as the owners walked into the clearing. A small group of them began to set up camp a good ways from the shore as to not have to deal with the mud.

"Um guys you might want to look at this I think he is hurt." A young lady called from next to the shore.

"Leylah be careful you don't know if it's an act or not." Calli said as she carefully pulled her behind her. "Markus could you take a look?" She asked.

Markus moved closer his hand on a dagger that hung at his hip. As he got closer he noticed that the young man had yellowish grey hair, his skin was so pale that is was hard to believe that he was human. 'This kid looks as if he has never seen the sun, we definitely need to move him inside a tent so he does not burn.' He thought as he went to place a hand on the boy just to find his sight blinded by a strong inhuman amount of magic. Blinking to clear his vision he saw standing on the boy's head was a rust colored mouse with emerald eyes.

"Hello there you must be some kind of familiar though I have never seen a muse before but there is a first for everything. We need to move him or the sun will burn him when it comes up. I know you understand. I promise I will be very gentle with your mage." Markus said as he watched the mouse looked from one to the other and gave a defeated huff before allowing Markus to pick the young man up. He carefully moved the boy and placed him in the tent that he and Zain had been using. He left the door open in case the young man woke up and decided that he needed or wanted to run.

With that task complete the rest of them worked on getting the rest of the camp set up. They had chosen to continue traveling through the night instead of risking some sketchy looking campsites that they found. They had to be careful due to the fact that the last inn they stopped at had said that highwaymen were beginning to cause trouble.

"Look pixies wow they are so pretty." Leylah said as she broke off a piece of a honey cake that they picked up before leaving town the previous day. She laughed at the feel of the small wings fluttering tickled her fingers.

"Hey look isn't that the mouse that was with that boy? What are they feeding him and why?" Zain asked, pointing near the tent.

Before anyone could move or say anything there was a small poof dust and grass appeared right where the mouse used to be.

"Fifteen year stuck can really do a number on one's body, thank you little ones unfortunately I will still need more but what you gave me restored enough that i can at least revert back." A male voice said as the cloud faded revealing a rather tall young man with rust colored shoulder length hair and what looked like elvish ears just nearly poking through.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" Calli asked as she ready a fireball in her hand.

"Wait sis that is the mouse…I think he is one of the Sidhe." Markus said lowing his sister's hand before she could do something stupid.

"Your brother is quite correct, I am one of the Sidhe as a matter of fact you may call me Puck." The young man said turning to face them emerald eyes alight with mischief.

"You're naked!" Leylah said bluntly her face a brilliant scarlett.

"So it would appear I hate it when that happens, hmm it appears I am also playing the role of Familiar as well." Puck said looking at himself finding that on his right shoulder was a strange rune. "If you will excuse me I will make myself presentable and then I will answer any questions you have." He said as he walked behind a group of trees. It took no more than five minutes before he returned wearing an outfit made of leaves.

"THis will have to do for now until I obtain real clothing. Now you have questions for me?" He said as he sat down by the fire.

"Your pretty, are all the Sidhe as pretty? How did you end up here and bonded to a mage? Does your mage know you two are bonded?" Calli asked.

"Yes we all are, that's a long story, and no I don't even think he has any clue as to what I am let alone who. Well my reputation is shot now." Puck answered.

"Your Robin Goodfellow, The Summer's Trickster. I knew the name you gave us sounded familiar." Zain said causing all of them to jump a bit in surprise.

"That's right, young one your very clever so someone so young." PUck said with a small wink. Before anyone could say anything else the sound of someone waking up came from inside the tent.

"Where am I what is going on?" A male voice said from the tent as the owner of said voice poke his head out.

'That voice that is the voice that has been calling to me for months now.' Leylah thought as she crossed the space between the fire and the tent before she knew it.

"Wait don't touch him." Puck's voice said a second too late Leylah placed her hand on the young man's shoulder.

"I heard your call, the one you sent with the shadows." She said in a soft voice as she met the young man's dull colored eyes with her dark brown ones. 'I see pain, and fear.' She thought as the two of them held eyes for a few more heartbeats before she broke it a small blush on her cheeks.

"My name is Leylah what is yours?" She asked as she helped him to walk over to the fire to sit down with everyone else keeping him in the shade was a problem before Leylah casted a spell that created a patch of shade just big enough for him.

"That won't hold for long but hopefully long enough for you to get something to eat and then you can sleep again." She said sitting down.

"Caspian, my name is Caspian. And thank you….." He said before his eyes landed on Markus and Calli. "Please, don't take me back there I just escaped please doesn't take me back." He said as he backed up quickly from the two of them. The first sign that something wasn't quite right was that flames in the fire began to slow down and move as if they were in slow motion the air began to feel heavy without control magic.

"Calm down Caspian its ok I will not let them take us back, I will die before I let anyone take us." Puck said in a soothing voice as he attempted to calm the blonde down. When it became clear that he was not going to be able to get through to him since fear had gripped the boy tightly. 'I hope this holds him.' He thought as he snapped his fingers and the cattails by the shore snaked over the ground at lighting speed wrapped the blonde up from head to toe and pulled him away from the group.

It became crystal clear that it was only a temporary solution since from the moment they touched him the plants began to wither and die.

"This is bad I'm too weak from my time spent trapped in the hell whole to keep up with him at this rate I will die from pouring power into the plants that I won't be able to keep myself alive. If that happens we are all dead." Puck said with his voice shaking.

The sound of singing caught all of their attention. 'That is a banshee's song great just when I thought things couldn't get worse, naturally this is me I am talking about.' Puck thought as he felt a tug on his magic warning him that if he continued this spell he would lose his life.

"Now this will not do I can not let fear kill my favorite Sidhe now can I?" A soft breezy voice said just before the sound of a calming song being sung drifted over the lake.

"Cover your ears now or the song will put you to sleep." Puck said as he put his hands over his ears fearing that he may have given his warning too late

As the song continued Caspian who was still wrapped in the cattails his struggles began to slow even though the cattails still withered but at a slower pace.

"Robin, I can not hold him for long you have to calm him down before he breaks loose of both our powers, the only difference is I am already dead." A female voice said from right next to him.

"Sylvanas, to what do I owe the save from the Queen of the Damned." He growled slightly. He knew that it was pointless to do anything even at the height of his power he could not take her.

"His unrestrained power is a threat to everyone, even me." She started "even with my power he will break free of my spell soon. Oh what is that young lady doing?" She finished as the both turned and saw Leylah heading over to the trapped mage.

"Caspian, your free and no one will ever take that freedom from you, you need to calm down or you will become trapped by your own power." Leylah said as she looked around. All around her time was running at different speeds some areas time ran so fast that anything trapped in those bubbles died quickly and in others time moved so slow that it was as if it stood still. "Please, come back to yourself and your freedom." She begged over and over again. After what felt like eternity the wild time magic began to recede and time began to flow normally.

"You are either very brave or very stupid only time will tell, but it seems that you have him back in control, well I see no reason to stick around, until next time. Have fun being a familiar Robin." Sylvanas said with a slight laugh, before she dissolved into the woods without a trace.


End file.
